The results of a pernicious society on love:
             Love in Emily Brontë's, Wuthering Heights, is both a dark, consuming force that when influenced by society destroys characters, as well as a means for redemption and happiness when left to develop independently. For Heathcliff and Catherine love is a destructive power that ruins both of their lives. Brontë's later parallel of Young Catherine and Hareton's relationship gives hope that love can indeed transcend social boundaries. Love drives the story forward, and is the principle cause of all major conflicts. Brontë uses Wuthering Heights both to make a commentary on the destructiveness of love and the destructive tendencies of society in general. Wuthering Heights, is a battleground between character's natures and their obligations and positions in their societies.
             The Earnshaw Family proves early on to be driven by passion. Earnshaw senior's spontaneously adopts Heathcliff. Both Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw are consumed by a wildness in both their behavior as children and their destructive love for one another. Wherein, lovers are traditionally compared to opposing forces, Heathcliff and Catherine are often describes as almost the same person. "He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and [Edgar's] is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire."( 96) The way they are described by Brontë, foreshadows the tragedy of their love. On Catherine's deathbed Heathclff states, "would you like to live with your soul in the grave?" (192) in reference to Catherine. Catherine and Heathcliff are so closely tied together, they seem to be one person- if not one soul. The author first uses this idea to comment on the nature of love. If partners are too similar their love is all consuming and hence destructive. Catherine and Heathcliff play off each others' darker natures building o...